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Former pitcher
Curt Schilling announced yesterday that he is fighting cancer.

Schilling, 47, divulged the news in a statement released through his employer, ESPN. It did not
indicate what type of cancer Schilling has, when he was diagnosed or what his prognosis might
be.

Schilling is taking a leave of absence. He recently signed a multiyear contract extension with
the network and was to be part of the
Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team, as well as contribute to the network’s studio
coverage, including its spring training coverage.

• San Diego Padres left-hander
Cory Luebke will need a second reconstructive elbow surgery and will miss the 2014
season.

Luebke missed all of last season while rehabilitating after having his first surgery in May
2012.

• The Texas Rangers reached a 10-year deal to change the name of their stadium to Globe Life
Park in Arlington.

Rangers Ballpark is being renamed under an agreement with Globe Life and Accident Insurance Co.
Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

NFL

CBS will televise eight games on Thursday nights

The NFL announced that CBS won the bid to televise Thursday night games.

CBS will air the games during the first eight weeks of the season with its top broadcast team of
Jim Nantz and
Phil Simms, simulcasting them with the NFL Network. The league’s cable network
will show six Thursday night games alone later in the season, produced by CBS with Nantz and Simms
also in the booth. Included in the deal are two Saturday games, but it is unclear whether they will
be on CBS or the NFL Network.

The NFL said the contract is for one year, and the league has an option to extend it for 2015.
Financial terms were not disclosed.

• The attorney investigating the Miami Dolphins bullying case said his report will likely be
issued late next week or early the following week.

• A person familiar with his decision said that Minnesota Vikings quarterback
Matt Cassel will void the 2014 option on his contract and test the open
market.

Cassel’s decision leaves
Christian Ponder as the Vikings’ only quarterback under contract. Cassel would
have made $3.7 million next season if he exercised the option by Friday.

Arrieta goal gives Crew exhibition victory

The
Gregg Berhalter era unofficially got underway for the Crew with a 1-0 preseason
exhibition victory against Swedish club Malmo FF in Bradenton, Fla.

Jairo Arrieta’s goal in the 50th minute proved to be the difference. The forward,
who was re-signed at a cheaper rate after initially having his 2014 option declined, opened the
season when he cleaned up a sequence started by a
Justin Meram corner kick. Meram’s effort was redirected from the edge of the area
by Crew defender
Tyson Wahl and a Malmo player to Arrieta, who finished the opportunity.

“I thought it was good,” Berhalter, the Crew’s coach and sporting director, said in a telephone
interview. “I thought some of our movement was good. The effort was good. There were a lot of
positives to take away from it.”

The Crew used an entirely different lineup in each half, with likely regular-season starters
scattered throughout the rosters.
Daniel Paladini and
Waylon Francis, two of the team’s offseason additions, were held out because of
knee and big toe joint inflammation, respectively.

The Crew will conclude the Bradenton portion of its preseason on Friday and return to Columbus
to resume practice on Monday.

• David Beckham exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion
team in Miami, and the deal will be completed when he can secure a financing plan and location for
a new stadium.